So, the Bluff Point Twilight Trail Run was tonight.
And aside from the classic mistake (Never, ever, ever change shoes for a race), it was another classic race.
The race was good, aside from the shoe mistake. I broke out my trail shoes for the first time in a long while. Turns out they’ve got no arch support, and I’m guessing they are what gave me issues last spring. Hmmm.
The best part about the race is the weather. May in New England is either incredible – sunny and perfect. Or, it’s awful – cold and wet. Today was a cold and wet.
Yet, there were a hundred or so folks toeing the line in the intermittent rain again this year, driven by the promise of chowder and massages at the end.
There’s not a whole lot to say – the first three miles of the race were miserable, as my legs adjusted to the lack of support in the shoes. Once I passed the original governor’s mansion, I managed to run most of the rest of the race, finishing in about 70 minutes. Nike+ said 69 minutes, the woman at the line said 73 minutes. I’m pretty confident that I set Nike+ at the start and the end, but who knows.
Some guy tried to pass me at the end. Probably I should have let him go; not played the jerk, but I still had a little bit in me and sprinted it out. Loss of style points, I suppose.
Chowder was wonderful as always.
Anyway, I still love the race. Soaked, cold, and hurt from the shoes, and I’m counting down the hours until next year.